Complex conditions are hospice's biggest challenge

The "complexity of conditions" was the biggest challenge an island hospice faced in 2025, according to the charity's boss.

Rob Jones, the chief operating officer of Les Bourgs Hospice in Guernsey, said they had seen a "really big increase in people that need the highest level of care".

He said the hospice, which provides care for patients suffering from life-limiting illnesses, had responded by "recruiting more nurses to bolster our team".

Mr Jones added they would be aiming to boost fundraising in 2026, but they "now have the best possible equipment" to support people with very difficult conditions.

Mr Jones said a highlight of 2025 was the support the hospice received from the Guernsey community.

Another was providing "cuddle beds" for patients with life-limiting or terminal illnesses.

"Our job is to ensure that people are as pain-free as they possibly can be, that we manage their symptoms so that they can enjoy their life as well as they can."

The hospice is set to mark its 35th anniversary in 2026 and Mr Jones said it would be "a time of reflection".

"The way in which we want to be able to celebrate... is to provide the alternative perspective... that this is a place of living and not a place of death so we'll have a series of events which focus on that."

Mr Jones said end-of-care was "important to me from my own personal experiences" and they would be looking for a "sustainable solution" to funding.

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